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By JANIE SLAVEN and KEN SHMIDHEISER WHITLEY CITY � �It�s what we expected,� sighed Pat Greene moments after former McCreary County Master Co-mmissioner Charles King was released on probation yesterday. Greene is the granddaughter of John Wood whose estate was suppos-ed to be settled through a master commissioner sale. However the family never saw the $235,000 raised from the October 2002 sale. The reason: The money went into King�s pocket... ...along with at least another $100,000-plus. However, yesterday Special Judge Vernon Miniard, Jr., was religiously philosophic about King, who has refused to acknowledge his guilt. �If you look at the big picture, as a Christian, all things can be forgiven,� Miniard said as he probated King�s 15-year sentence for embezzling the master commissioner funds. Last January, 54-year-old King entered an Alford plea to 132 counts of Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition of Property. With an Alford plea, the defendant admits to no wrongdoing, but acknowledges that there is enough evidence to convict him. As master commissioner for McCreary County, King was charged with overseeing court-ordered sales of property. The property is auctioned off with the proceeds to be distributed to the owners. King�s legal problems began two years ago when he was arrested in connection to two master commissioner�s sales where the funds were not distributed. Per the plea agreement, Commonwealth Attorney Allen Trimble recommended King serve 15 years imprisonment. The plea agreement also called for King to make restitution, though neither the amount or a time frame for repayment was available in the preliminary paperwork. Judge Vernon Miniard Jr., who assumed the case after McCreary Circuit Judges Jerry Winchester and Paul Braden recused themselves, set those parameters yesterday � calling for King to pay $355,471.99 within five years or face jail time. King must also avoid future violations of the law. King�s criminal attorney, Mark Stanziano, moved the court to probate his sentence on the grounds that King had led �an exemplary life� prior to his arrest � holding a license to practice law for more than 20 years. For complete details see the Tuesday, April 19, 2005, Edition of The McCreary County Record. Reader Comments Weasel (5/10/2026) No, it shouldn't be hard for him to pay it back. It only amounts to $71,000 a year. Having said that, how much would Mr. King have to make a year to live AND pay back 71 grand? I think precedence was set by this judge, in that ALL criminals should get no prison time if they have lived a good life prior to becoming a criminal. There certainly is no justice here. A man sells 1 and a 1/4 oxycontin, gets 5 years in prison. Another man kills a young man with while driving DUI, he gets 7 years. Mr. King stole way more than enough to be Grand Theft. While the guy that took someones life should have gotten 15-20 MINIMUM, the guy that sold a couple of pills shouldn't have even gone to prison. Community service would have better served the public. I'm not condoning the sale of prescription drugs or anything, it just seems like it was FAR less of a "crime" than stealing that amount of money from an innocent and unsuspecting public, especially by a person in a position of TRUST. It should have been ordered by the court that all of Mr. Kings assets be sold via Master Commissioners sale to start the process of restitution. But, that's just one persons opinion, that person being me. I guess he still has a house to live in. Shame some of his victims don't. Curious George (ha ha) (5/9/2026) uh,Uh,yep,yep,he can pay all that money back in 5 years,al he gotta do is steal it again,yep,yep,yep,that is the way to do it,afterall he was a mastermind in stealing money,but he finally screwed up and got caught.The only way that I know how he can get that much money is to start dealing in drugs,maybe that is why he took up driving a truck,maybe he thinks he won't get caught this time.(of course that is only a suggestion,so please don't take that too seriously) yep,yep,yep.yep,actually I think you are wrong as well,(by the way it is only if the assailent is not identified wihtin that specific time and not that the trial itself must be over and sentence served--thats just absurd), there has been many people who have been identified who didn't serve time,cause the prosecutor didn't try the case in time.yep,yep,yep.king will find a way in getting out of paying that much money.this would make a good mystery movie,it sure would get people glued to thir seats to find out how it would end,yep,yep,yep. :) (5/7/2026) while 355,000 is a lot of money, it is not an indefinate sum that is impossible to pay back. 5 years is a long time, plenty of time in fact to pay back this amount of money. in the real world it is not unusual to make more than 12,000 a year. and for those who dont undestand this (curious george) that simply means he will probably be able to pay back the money. also, i think the legal terms you tried to throw around are about statutes of limitations. while it is true for some crimes that after a period of time it is impossible to prosecute (by the way it is only if the assailent is not identified wihtin that specific time and not that the trial itself must be over and sentence served--thats just absurd), this isnt the same...so you are correct in thinking you are wrong. mr.king was ordered to pay the sum, and unless otherwise overturned by another court (which is highly unlikely) he will be bound by law to do so, and in the alloted time period. furthermore, i also do not see mr. king's attorney's charging him, nor would i assume your friends (if you have acquired any in your lifetime) would charge you for services on say, your automobile. but just for giggles, lets keep in mind that just because mr. king was a lawyer does not mean that he knows or is personally friends with every lawyer on the planet. after all, are you aquainted with all the ignorantly judgemental scumbags alive? (5/5/2026) Where is the money he stole? Did he spend it all? On what? Can't be legal fees. Surely his friends didn't charge him. I predict that he will be living high on the hog for the next five years. On some island probably. He will pay back a few hundred dollars along and in five years they will say , At least he was trying." Then it will be dropped. Now if I was one of his victims I would be getting me a new lawyer who will ask the right questions. There are answers to some of the questions that might lead to justice after all. Surely this isn't the final word on this subject! GET-ER-DONE (5/4/2026) I think the legal system in Mccreary County should be considered for a hollywood soap opera. someone (5/4/2026) I forsee an upcoming Bankruptcy that will let King walk free without repaying the debt. There is no way he can legally pay that money back with his current profession. (5/2/2026) Everything that has been stated here is the truth Mr. King needs to be punished for what he did .You may think the remarks are venomous and everyone will pay for them but hopefully some day Mr. King will also pay for his wrong doings. Bill Taylor (5/2/2026) $355,471.99 to be repaid in 5 years? All this means is that when the 5 years are up, he will go to jail. Justice will be served sooner or later. Curious George (ha ha) (5/2/2026) What a real joke!!,If Mr.King would steal from a dead person who can't defend for themselves,just think how much he would steal off from the person alive,if he was given the chance to do so!! I also agree with everything truthseeker has said,I sure won't feel bad about telling the truth.And how much of this money has he paid back yet?? He has 5 years to pay it back,he is probably hoping that after 2 years,all of this will be forgotten,and he won't have to pay for any of it back.I still am wandering how in the world he is going to come up with this type of money in 5 years? Stealing more from others? Maybe he will find a way to steal some money off from this trucking business,afterall he was an attorney!! A person would have better odds of playing the lottery than the odds of paying all that back in 5 years.After 5 years,if this go's over the timeframe that is set by law,then the way I understand it,this case will be barred and he won't have to pay it all back,and then this case would probably be dismissed for not trying this case in time.Of course I am not an attorney,so I may be wrong.But I am sure since he was an attorney,he has some trick up his sleeve somewheres. Lets Not Be Angry.... (5/1/2026) What Charles King did was apprehensible, BUT what was taken away can be replaced. It was money, not life. If someone had truly been harmed (aside from the emotional harm placed on his victims), than yes, a harsher sentence should have been instated. Im not saying I believe Mr. King should not have gotten jail time, I am simply saying I dont think we should waste our time being angry that he didnt. (5/1/2026) King has been sentenced to repay the money he took, that is a punishment. If he were not being punished, he would not have to even do that. Im sure he also is being punished emotionally. He made a mistake that he obviously regrets, everyone knows how we can punish ourselves far more than anyone else can, even the justice system. And in response to those who claim we would not get the same outcome. I hear this almost everytime something happens (even if its not in McCreary County). We are all given the same civil rights in the constitution, it is up to us to know them and protect ourselves. If you feel you dont have the same chance as the next fellow, do something about it, besides whining. truthseeker (4/30/2005) A good man would not betray the trust put in him by his friends and clients. A good man would admit his guilt. A good man would not steal from the estates of dead people. A good man does not try to use religion to try to gain public support for such infractions of the law he claims to practice. It may be the first time he got caught, but I doubt it is the first time he has stolen from his clients. A good judge does not play on the gullibility of a certain group of people to excuse his lapse of character. A good judge would not dare make such an outrageous statement in a public court. I speak the truth . I will not worry about paying for my words or my actions. (4/30/2005) I have a friend who has been struggling with the teachings of Christ for years. I tell him it all comes down to "Love One Another", which was given to me when I was young. We humans are not perfect nor should we expect to attain perfection in this life. We are saddened when one of our own strays. My friend points to instances in the community as an example that perhaps this or that person wasn't really a christian after all. Instead, I like to tell him that it is better to look at the acts/deeds of those professing Christ's teachings on forgiveness as the true measure of belief. My friend asked me to look at the comments to this article and now challenges my interpretation of Christ's message. Sadly, I cannot explain how so many have so little understanding. (4/30/2005) Never have I seen such a venomous attack on a good man who did a bad thing. The day will come when YOU have to answer for your vile remarks. truthseeker (4/29/2005) Thou shalt not steal! What this man did had nothing to do with religion. It is an appalling example of injustice. My question is was this man bonded? If not, Why not? Such actions by the courts are sickening. As Christians we must forgive fellow Christians transgressions. Not the crimes of common thieves. There are laws to punish such blatant acts of robbery. Why weren't they enacted? cherub (4/27/2005) I really think it is a shame how our Lord is used, when some crook commits a crime, Charles King your main trial is yet to come. when you face the ALMIGHTY GOD, you won't be able to hide it then. However, I do forgive you, but next time it may be better if you keey your sticky fingers in your own pockets, and out of other peoples pockets. Curious George (ha ha) (4/27/2005) How right you are Mr. Douglas.If it was some other person,they would be looking at least 25 in the pen..I believe in forgiveness,and believe we should forgive this man,but what if we did the same thing for everyone-else.Let's say if we just did that,then they would be no need for even having a pen,now would they??? Well,I guess I will go out and break a law,and then come and tell the judge that I found God,just so I can get out of going to the pen.Hmmmm,sounds like an good idea doesn't it? Do the crime,you should have to pay the time.But not in McCreary County,if you are big and well-known,you can get by with almost everything,or at least Mr.King did didn't he? D.Douglas (4/26/2005) Just a good example how tight the brotherhood is between judges and attorneys. If you have a legal problem and are not in that brotherhood club and don't know anyone with links to that club, YOU LOSE. (4/25/2005) Guess Trimble will get relected next year. wounderfull county 4 ya (4/25/2005) Just goes to show you if that was you or me it would of been a lot worse or even jail 4 life its all who ya know!!! (4/24/2005) Just wondering, If the Woods family are going to recieve at least some of the money, does that mean that mean Jerry Stevens will finaly get his property? (4/23/2005) I beleive if I were the Wood Heirs I would check into the reasoning of the Judge's decision on forgiveness.Yes we need to forgive but you also need to be punished for your crimes. (4/22/2005) I thoght govt. and church were to be separate,but according to the what the judge said it doesn't seem that way.I wonder if he would feel the same way if it was his inheritance that King stole. Curious George (ha ha) (4/22/2005) They don't call me Curious George for nothing.But you know something,I might think that you could be right.He probably will steal it again,afterall he was an attorney wasn't he? Hmmmmmm... CHARLOTTE BEATTY (4/21/2005) Hmmmmm! wondering how charles king will repay all that money? that is easy, he will have the chance to steal it again, it worked the first time, and it will work this time too. Curious George (ha ha) (4/21/2005) HMMMM,I sure am going to enjoy reading how in the world he is going to pay that much money back in just 5 years. (4/21/2005) This is a joke Mr. King should have to pay all of it now. Dave (4/21/2005) Sorry to hear that a criminal can get away scott free just because they had "led an exempelary life" I feel that this person should have been made an example of, considering he was an attorney for 20 plus years, should be grounds for a stiffer sentence, he knew full well what he was doing was illegeal. I hope that all who were taken by him get full restition, but they will probabally never see a dime of their money that he stole. Add a Comment |
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